The Rinjani scops Owl

The Rinjani scops owl is a member of the scops owl family and is found on the Lesser Sunda Islands off of Indonesia as well as the Gili Islands. This species of owl was found on the island back in 2003. A formal description and classification of the owl did not happen until 2013.

The Rinjani scops owl has a brown color. Some of the owls have white spots on their brown feathers. The head is darker and the owls have white eyebrows. The ears are a brownish green color as well as the feathers that cover the top of their heads. This owl makes a whistling hoot when it calls out to other owls. When researchers first saw this owl they thought it was the Moluccan scops owl which is common in this area of the world. It was the call of the owl that let the researchers knew they had found a new species of scops owls. The owl makes a sound like no other species that have been heard before. The owls have not yet been studies on a genetic level.

There are some similarities between the Rinjani scops owl and other members of the owl family. This owl is territorial. They do not like other owls trying to come into the space they have claimed as their own. Undisturbed forests make the perfect home. They can live at distances up to 1,350 meters above sea level.

There are some threats to the Rinjani scops owls. Deforestation and illegal logging are taking away their home as well as their source of food. These owls eat small rodents and they are becoming harder and harder to find. Climate change is also affecting the habitat of the owls. The Rinjani scops owl is a relatively new species to have been described and scientists are still studying this species of owl.